Mad, magnificent Englishmen ( Part Two: Shackleton)

“Men wanted for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful, honor and recognition in case of success”.

The ad appeared in The Times of London sometime in 1914.

Ernest Shackleton was preparing the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition and needed 58 men. Five thousand signed up.

Shackleton had extensive previous experience in the South Pole -he led the Nimrod Expedition of 1907-1909 establishing the record for reaching the southmost point to date and was also part of the polar expedition where Robert Scott lost his life- he would now try to cross the Continent from The Weddell Sea to The Ross Sea.

He would travel with 28 men on The Endurance and would be picked up by The Aurora on the other side. This was never to happen. Instead what ensued is perhaps the world’s most daring, crazy, brave rescue mission ever.

The Endurance leaves Plymouth on August 8 1914. Shackleton in not on board. He has stayed behind to try and raise more funds.He meets the boat in Buenos Aires and sails towards the South Georgia Islands. In early December he reaches The Ice Barrier.Conditions deteriorate rapidly as they often do in Antarctica; he cannot approach land and the boat is surrounded by ice. He decides to hibernate and await the spring thaw.They spend the long dark winter on board, with frequent outings to do research and engage in competitive sports.It is then that Shackleton will show outstanding leadership.He realizes that men can rapidly get bored and dispirited so he metes out daily tasks and goals; he makes no distinction between officers and crew and encourages games and socializing after meals.

The imprisoned ship heaves and groans with the pressure of the relentless ice crushing its hull.

By October it starts to take water fast and he orders to abandon ship immediately. Food, fuel, animals and men set camp on the ice.

On November 21, 1916 the astonished crew watches as the ice swallows her, and 28 men are left stranded on The Barrier drifting north at 200 yards an hour.

The epic part starts now.

Shackleton knows that with summer the Ice Barrier will break up and men and goods will be left adrift on ice floes.

The moment is fast approaching and in April he launches three 20 feet boats -the size of three large kayaks- and sets course for Elephant Island 550 miles away.

Upon arriving he decides to try for the whaling station on the Georgia Islands with a crew of five in what by any standards is a suicide mission; he leaves behind 22 men vowing to come back. Destination is 800 nautical miles away, sailing across The Drake Sea one of the worst waters in the world.

They navigate by the sun whenever clouds part and rollercoaster waves allow it.

Two weeks later and fearing the current will make them bypass their destination they beach on the wrong side of the Island after narrowly escaping crashing against the rocky shores.

The whaling station is beyond a mountain range and Shackleton and two companions drive nails into the soles of their shoes to escalate the range. Two days later they finally make it. He immediately returns to recover the other three crew and 127 days after leaving Elephant Island he is back to rescue the rest of them. Years later in the course of yet another expedition Shackleton dies on the South Georgia Islands. He is buried there at the Gryvitken cemetery.

Shackelton’s extraordinary leadership brought every man back home, safe and sound.